The lady that had her arms folded and had a frown on her face bought the first set I showed her. How did that happen?

I was 20 years old, and in college. I showed up for my Cutco appointment and the lady who answered the door was not thrilled to see me. I think she had forgotten we had an appointment. As I went through my presentation, she had her arms folded the whole time. She didn’t seem interested at all. It felt like she was just waiting for it to be over.

Would you like to buy this Homemaker + 8 and get the super shears for free?

Yes, do you take checks?

Wait, what?

What happened?

A positive emotional state will lead to an increase in sales and average order. When customers are in a positive emotional state, they will subconsciously be happier and more optimistic.

Decisions are made by emotion but justified with logic. Therefore, it is our JOB as a salesperson to ensure that our customers are in a positive emotional state.

What put her into a positive emotional state?

I made her smile. I kept my cool and I honestly thought it was fun to show people knives. Her folded arms couldn’t deter me. Perhaps I was too young to know that this was supposed to be the kiss of death. Perhaps I was too young to care. I was there anyway, so I might as well have a good time.

I didn’t just cut the penny, I made it into a flower. I didn’t just show her the spatula spreader, I made music with it and let her know that the note it made was C-sharp. Because, see, it’s sharp.

I had a few more.

The intensity of my positive mood outdid the intensity of her negative mood, and I had made a difference.

As professionals, I believe we have a professional obligation to improve the mood of the people we are talking to. Not only does it increase sales (which is our job) but it’s also the right thing to do.

There are a few ways you can increase the positive emotional state of your customers.

Smile. Smiles are contagious.

Tell a funny story about one of your products.

Tell a joke or two.

Give your first appointment special a silly name.

Ask about things that they care about. Talking about things they love will put them in a positive mental state.

Let me give you a quick warning: do not simply duplicate other people’s sense of humor. Make sure that your positive emotional state is genuine, and authentic. Only tell jokes you feel comfortable with and enjoy. Otherwise you will like like a huge dork. And dorks don’t always put customers into a positive mental state.